Practice 7.2 Climate change—causes and impacts with authentic IB Environmental systems and societies (ESS - Old) exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1, 2 structure, covering key topics like ecosystems, human impact, and sustainability. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
Paper
Level
Question 1
HLPaper 2
Two maps of Greenland comparing the percentage of sea ice concentration between September 14, 1984 and September 13, 2012.
1.[1]
Outline the change in ice cover between 1984 and 2012.
2.[2]
State two environmental impacts of the change in sea ice cover in the Arctic.
3.[2]
Describe how mitigation can help with climate change.
4.[4]
Evaluate one mitigation strategy to reduce climate change.
Question 2
SLPaper 2
1.[9]
To what extent do anthropocentric value systems dominate international efforts of addressing climate change?
Question 3
SLPaper 2
1.[9]
Environmental value systems can lead to different approache towards addressing global warming. Discuss which environmental value system(s) you consider to be most appropriate in the management of global warming.
Question 4
SLPaper 2
1.[9]
To what extent can different environmental value systems contribute to both causing and resolving the problem of water scarcity?
Question 5
SLPaper 2
1.[4]
Outline how a positive feedback loop can impact an ecosystem.
2.[7]
Compare and contrast the impact of two named food production systems on climate change.
3.[9]
To what extent does the development of different societies impact their mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change?
Question 6
SL & HLPaper 2
The table shows an estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cows and cars in the UK in 2015.
Table 1.
| Estimated numbers | Average emissions | Total emissions (kg/year) | Global warming potential (GWP) | Overall effect (Total emissions × GWP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 million cows | 100 kg of methane/cow/year | 350 million | Methane = 23 | 8.05 billion |
| 35 million cars | 5,450 kg of carbon dioxide/car/year | 190.75 billion | Carbon dioxide = 1 | 190.75 billion |
- Methane is a more powerful GHG than carbon dioxide by a factor of 23. This means that 1 kg of methane would absorb 23 times more heat than 1 kg of carbon dioxide. (Source: 2015 UK GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, FINAL FIGURES, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, © Crown copyright 2017)
1.[2]
List two greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide and methane.
2.[3]
Refering to Table 1, discuss the relative impact of cows and cars on global warming.
3.[3]
Evaluate a strategy that could be used to reduce humans' reliance on cars.
4.[2]
Explain what is the effect of these greenhouse gases in the stratosphere.
Question 7
SLPaper 2
There are increasing concerns of carbon dioxide emissions and its relationship to climate change.
Figure 1: CO2 emissions of select countries in 2007 and 2030 (Projected)
1.[2]
Identify two possible reasons for China's projected change in CO2 emissions.
2.[1]
Calculate Russia's projected percentage increase from 2007 to 2030 in CO2 emissions.
3.[4]
Discuss how the ability to implement mitigation and adaptation strategies may vary from one country to another.
4.[2]
Outline how CO2 emissions may cause a change in the global climate.
5.[1]
Identify one adaptation strategy that can be used to reduce the impacts of climate change.
6.[1]
Identify one reduction strategy the United States might use to achieve its projected change in CO2 emissions.
Question 8
SLPaper 1
Figure 1: Fact file on the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)
- An invasive species from Asia.
- First discovered in the St Lawrence River in 1990.
- Females lay eggs three times a year; up to 5000 eggs at a time.
- Young fish mature quickly.
- Can eat up to 4000 eggs of other fish in 15 minutes.
- Eat invasive zebra mussels.
- Eaten by native fish, such as lake trout and yellow perch.
- Aggressively defend the best egg-laying sites, out-competing the native mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdii).
Figure 2:The round goby and mottled sculpin
1.[1]
Using Figure 1 and 2, identify one feature of the round goby that shows it is an r-selected species.
2.[3]
With reference to Figure 1, outline how the round goby both positively and negatively affects the St Lawrence River ecosystem.
3.[3]
With reference to Figure 1, explain why the realized niche of the mottled sculpin has changed in recent years.
Question 9
SLPaper 2
1.[4]
Explain how energy drives the hydrological cycle.
2.[7]
Using a system diagram, explain how human activities affect global water cycle flows.
3.[9]
To what extent do different environmental value systems improve fresh water access?
Question 10
HLPaper 2
1.[7]
Evaluate the socio-economic and political challenges faced by countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts but have minimal contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.